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The School of Agriculture. 



[July, 



THE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE OF 

 THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. 



PART II. 



T. B. Wood, C.B.E., M.A., F.I.C., F.R.S., 



Drapers' Professor of Agriculture and Fellow of Gonville and 

 Caius College, Cambridge. 



The completion of the School of Agriculture opened a new era 

 for agriculture in Cambridge. Until the end of 1909 the staff 

 had been without a home of their own, and although they had 

 received the greatest possible kindness and consideration from 

 the heads of other scientific Departments, notably the Professors 

 of Chemistry and Botany, the agricultural staff had undoubtedly 

 been severely handicapped by deficient accommodation. 



In January, 1910, the staff moved into their new building with 

 a class of about 40 students. Immediately the number of stu- 

 dents began to increase at the rate of about 25 additional students 

 per annum, and in the academic year 1913-14 the total number 

 of students receiving instruction in the School had reached 117, 

 including about 30 candidates for the Diploma who had already 

 taken the National Science Tripos, but exclusive of research 

 students of whom there were about a dozen. Meantime other 

 notable events had occurred. In 1910 the lease of the farm at 

 Impington expired and it was decided to secure a farm nearer to 

 the laboratories and the colleges so that the practical side of the 

 teaching as well as the experimental work might be developed 

 with less effort both to the staff and to the increasing number of 

 students. Through the good offices of Trinity College the Uni- 

 versity was able to lease from the College for 10 years Gravel 

 Hill Farm, consisting of about 200 acres of land situated between 

 the Huntingdon and Madingley Roads within 1J- miles of the 

 laboratory and not more than 1 mile from many of the colleges. 

 To this area were added several adjoining fields hired from Clare 

 College. The convenience of access of this farm has undoubtedly 

 enabled Mr. Mackenzie and Mr. Amos, who have had charge 

 of the teaching of husbandry, to develop the practical side of 

 their teaching to a remarkable extent. 



Unfortunately the demand for building sites on this side of 

 the town makes it unlikely that the University will be able to 

 retain the occupation of this farm, or to buy it from the College, 

 at a price which would admit of its continued occupation as an 

 agricultural holding. It is probable, therefore, that the agricul- 



